[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 244 (Monday, December 21, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 70381]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-33748]


      
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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 244 / Monday, December 21, 1998 / 
Notices  

[[Page 70381]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion; Agency Information 
Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Report--Nutrition 
and Your Health: Dietary Guidelines for Americans in 2000

AGENCY: Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment 
on a proposed information collection. This notice announces the Center 
for Nutrition Policy and Promotion's intention to request the Office of 
Management and Budget's approval of the information collection 
instruments to be used during research with focus groups of consumers 
to gauge their understanding of the concepts and messages of the 
Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Approval is also requested for an 
additional collection instrument to be used during consumer research 
with focus groups to test prototype sections of nutrition education 
materials based on preliminary drafts of the anticipated Dietary 
Guidelines fifth edition. The information collected will be summarized 
and presented in written reports made available to the Dietary 
Guidelines Advisory Committee and will be used to refine the consumer 
bulletin, to develop new nutrition promotion products, and to plan a 
national campaign to promote the 2000 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be submitted on or before 
February 19, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on: (a) whether the proposed collection 
of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions 
of the agency, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology. Comments may be sent to Carole 
Davis, Nutrition Promotion Staff Director, Center for Nutrition Policy 
and Promotion, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1120 20th Street, NW, 
Suite 200 North Lobby, Washington, DC 20036.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval. All 
comments will also become a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information should be directed to Catherine 
Tarone, (202) 606-4154.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: .

    Title: Nutrition and Your Health: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 
in 2000.
    OMB Number: Not assigned yet.
    Expiration Date: Not applicable.
    Type of Request: New collection of information.
    Abstract: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans were first 
introduced over 15 years ago. Section 301 of the National Nutrition 
Monitoring and Related Research Act of 1990 requires the Secretaries of 
Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (DHHS) to publish 
jointly at least every 5 years a report entitled, Report of the Dietary 
Guidelines Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 
The next report is due by December 2000. The 1995 Dietary Guidelines 
Advisory Committee recommended that USDA and DHHS gather information 
about consumer understanding of the Dietary Guidelines' messages and 
concepts. This study involves twelve focus groups: four adult general 
consumer groups (two male and two female), two African-American groups 
(one male and one female), two overweight adult groups (one male and 
one female), two older adult groups (one male and one female), two food 
stamp participant groups (one male one female), to gauge the 
understanding and effectiveness of the Dietary Guidelines. Two focus 
groups of health professionals will gauge the use of the Dietary 
Guidelines and effectiveness of the concepts and messages. The 
information collected will be analyzed and summarized in a report made 
available to the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. A second phase 
of this study involves twelve focus groups of consumers to pre-test 
prototype sections of nutrition education material based on preliminary 
drafts of the anticipated Dietary Guidelines fifth edition. The results 
of the focus group sessions will be analyzed and summarized in a report 
made available to the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee and will be 
used to refine the nutrition prototypes, to develop new nutrition 
promotion products, and to plan a national campaign to promote the 
Dietary Guidelines for Americans, fifth edition.
    Affected Public: Adult consumers.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 234.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 4 hours/focus group.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 936 hours.

    Dated: December 16, 1998.
Samuel Chambers, Jr.,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Services.
[FR Doc. 98-33748 Filed 12-18-98; 8:45 am]
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